Fungal mycotoxins in food commodities: present status and future concerns

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi when they colonies the foodstuffs. These potent toxins having severe health consequences in people, being mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic. In agricultural commodities, contamination of mycotoxins is more prevalent. Several can produce on products during harvest or postharvest, have significant adverse effects both animal human beings. The most prevalent found food commodities aflatoxins ochratoxins Aspergillus species, patulin Penicillium , as well fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone Fusarium species. Worldwide, patulin, aflatoxins, ochratoxins, among others, responsible for numerous acute chronic diseases people domestic animals. been quantified detected using various analytical methods. Besides, occurrence were decontaminated through many potential approaches, such physical, chemical, biological This review summarizes findings 30 years research into major commercial crops including wheat, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, peanut, oat, pulses, barley, oilseeds, rice, fruits fruit juices. We also discuss detection methods mycotoxins, available decontamination strategies along with their disadvantages knowledge gaps. It anticipated that data from meticulous studies will help development safer setting priorities future research.